Ghost of Mandela divorce
Winnie’s saucy affair back in court
THE messy divorce of Nelson Mandela and his ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has again been brought to the public eye in her current court application to have the Qunu home given to her.
Madikizela-Mandela had claimed in court papers she was still Mandela’s wife according to customary law. However, that has been disputed by his lawyer George Bizos.
Bizos in an answering affidavit, which the Saturday Dispatch has seen, said the two were divorced and that the customary law had no bearing as it was superceded by the conclusion of their civil marriage.
Bizos even annexed copies of Mandela’s divorce affidavit and Madikizela-Mandela’s saucy letter to her former lover, lawyer Dali Mpofu.
Madikizela-Mandela responded defiantly in her set of papers filed this week, saying Bizos’ attempt to touch on personal details was irrelevant and “highly irregular”.
A transcript of a handwritten letter, which according to Mandela’s affidavit handed to court in 1996, was written by Madikizela-Mandela and detailed her relationship with Mpofu.
The letter was submitted to court during the Mandelas’ divorce proceedings as evidence of MadikizelaMandela’s alleged infidelity, which Mandela described as having embarrassed him.
In the letter, published in 1992, Madikizela-Mandela lambasts Mpofu for being a liar and cheating on her and reveals how she gave him money totalling to more than R160 000.
In his affidavit to court during the divorce proceedings Mandela wrote that his relationship with MadikizelaMandela had disintegrated over many years and that it was not caused by his ex-wife’s involvement in the murders of Stompie Sepei and Dr Asvat.
“Despite my objection, [MadikizelaMandela] employed Mpofu as her personal assistant in the welfare department of the ANC.”
Mandela wrote that his ex-wife gave “large” gifts to Mpofu and that he was living a lifestyle “far beyond the means of other newly qualified lawyers”.
“Their conduct in flouting my authority as president of the ANC enjoyed wide publicity and caused me embarrassment.”
In her founding affidavit Madikizela-Mandela also claimed there was never a divorce settlement.
Mandela’s affidavit, however, reveals that she had filed a counter-claim of half of all Mandela’s assets.
At the time Mandela said his exwife had not contributed to the maintenance or increase of his estate.
Another hot potato was the payment made to the community of Qunu.
In a supplementary affidavit, Madikizela-Mandela this week made reference to R150 000 donated by Mandela to the community of Qunu.
Madikizela Mandela said the money was placed in a trust administered by Bantu Holomisa, Dumisa Ntsebeza and Judge President Themba Sangoni.
Holomisa said he was aware of the instruction given by Mandela about the donation but knew nothing about the Trust. Ntsebeza said he had no knowledge of the trust. — abongilem@dispatch.co.za